The Pittsburgh Steelers' head-coaching search has certainly been interesting. They started hot, requesting to interview two young Los Angeles Rams coaches: Pass Game Coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, and Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula. There were also other names, such as Brian Flores, Anthony Weaver, and Jesse Minter. However, the most shocking interview was former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach, Mike McCarthy. McCarthy is certainly not the popular pick, but he has won a Super Bowl with the Packers and had three straight 12-win seasons in his time in Dallas. McCarthy is a fellow Yinzer, being from Pittsburgh, which makes him one of the top candidates as well.
AP photo
Mike McCarthy returns to Green Bay for a home game.
While McCarthy certainly won a lot in the regular season, he shares the same major flaw as the former head coach Mike Tomlin: a lack of recent playoff success. McCarthy, in his time in Dallas, won just one playoff game against an 8-9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. He even suffered one of the franchise's most embarrassing playoff losses at home to the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers. Then, after a 7-10 season, he was fired. McCarthy took the 2025 season off. Now, with the 2026 coaching carousel kicking off, McCarthy is taking action. It has been reported that McCarthy is a real candidate for the Steelers.
Insider Mark Kaboly went on 93.7 the Fan recently to discuss the McCarthy buzz and asked the critical question.
"If [the Steelers are] going to hire Mike McCarthy, why are they waiting?" Kaboly said.
McCarthy officially interviewed for the Steelers' head-coaching gig on January 21st, 2026. If the Steelers were as interested in McCarthy as initially thought, he likely would have been hired already. The Steelers just completed interviewing Weaver as well.
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Former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy during a game in the 2010s.
The Steelers' other candidates, Shula and Scheelhaase, are currently still coaching in the playoffs and cannot be interviewed by the team until Monday, January 26th, 2026. The Baltimore Ravens are now hiring Minter as their new head coach, so he's officially out. Shula is now likely the favorite to be the Steelers' next head coach.
Steelers Owner Art Rooney II said in his end-of-season press conference that the team would ideally have a new coach by the 2026 NFL Combine in late February, and that they would be patient with the process.
Steelers Likely Hold McCarthy As Last Resort
It's no secret that the Steelers are waiting until after the conference championship round of the playoffs, when they're allowed to interview both of the Rams assistants. With the Ravens job now officially occupied, it's more likely than ever that Shula could become the Steelers' next head coach. The Steelers are now arguably the second most attractive job behind the Buffalo Bills, and with none of their interested candidates being hired, why rush?
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Los Angeles Rams Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula looks on with intense focus as he pays attention to his unit on the field during a professional football contest.
McCarthy has reportedly pulled himself out of other job runs. While it's unclear which teams had interest, the Steelers are now his only option. McCarthy isn't going anywhere. The Steelers can wait it out, interview Shula and Scheelhaase, then decide who they feel is best for them. Another name the Steelers were unable to interview due to the coaching pursuit rules is Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak. Kubiak is currently one of the hottest head-coaching candidates as well.
The Steelers can afford to wait; Shula has already declined the Cleveland Browns' request for an in-person interview. They could also wait for Kubiak. It took just one interview for the Steelers to fall in love with Tomlin back in 2007. Kubiak would be in the Steelers' best interest; he is exactly what Steelers fans have been begging for. A young offensive mind from the Kyle Shanahan / Sean McVay coaching tree. While it's not a guarantee the Steelers would land Kubiak, it would certainly be shocking if they didn't at least request an interview.
What do you think? Is McCarthy the guy for the Steelers? Should they wait this out, or just settle for McCarthy's experience? Let us know in the comments below.
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